1. Background of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a golf club, and, more particularly to means and method of selectively locating the flex point, and thus the so-called kick-point, of a golf club shaft.
2. Description of Related Art
A satisfactory golf club for a given individual requires attention being paid to a number of different factors such as physical attributes of the individual, average speed of individual's golf swing, flexibility of material from which shaft is made, necessary strength of shaft to withstand torquing during use over a reasonable period of time. These factors frequently interact with one another producing unexpected or undesirable results. For example, a shaft made of a particular material might require a relatively small cross-sectional dimension for desired flexibility, but this in turn could result in a shaft having insufficient strength to insure against breakage. On the other hand, although thickening the shaft cross-section improves strength, this at the same time results in an undesirable lessening of flexibility. From the human side of the equation, children, some women and elderly golfers have relatively slow "swings" making it desirable to substantially increase shaft flexibility with an aim of increasing hitting distance. Club shafts at the present time are typically made from either steel or a graphite composition, which materials not only have different densities but possess different strengths and flexibility characteristics resulting in overall club design parameters and limitations that are different.
It is, therefore, a desired and advantageous feature of a golf club for use by individuals having "slow" swings that it provide an optimal "kick" of the clubhead improving hitting distance without sacrificing other desired or required physical attributes of the club.